Nauticus - Instructions

Objective of the Game

Nauticus is a strategic board game where players take on the role of shipbuilders operating globally. The objective of the game is to earn the most victory points by building ships, shipping goods, and fulfilling contracts.

Components

• A game board with various action spaces and world maps
• Ship parts and goods tiles
• Coins and victory point markers
• 4 player boards for personal layouts
• Different decks of cards for interaction and additional actions

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the table and distribute the ship parts, goods tiles, and coins to their designated spaces.
2. Each player receives a player board and the starting resources indicated on it.
3. Shuffle the sign cards and place them as a face-down deck.
4. Place the captains on their respective areas and distribute the starting coins.

Gameplay

The game is played over several rounds, each consisting of phases:

1. Action Selection

• Each player, in turn, selects one of the available actions:
• Shipbuilding: Build new ship parts to expand your fleet.
• Hire Crew: Recruit crew members who offer benefits.
• Fulfill Contracts: Use your fleet and goods to complete profitable contracts.
• Trade: Buy or sell goods to fill your coffers.

2. Execute Actions

• The chosen action is executed simultaneously by all players, starting with the lead player.

3. Move Captains

• Move captains on the world map to symbolize ship movements.

4. End of Round

• Check for completed contracts and earn the corresponding victory points.
• Update the lead player's position.

Winning the Game

The game ends after a predefined number of rounds (or when all ship parts are built). The player with the most victory points wins.

Key Strategies

• Long-term Planning: Always look for the most lucrative contracts and plan your shipbuilding accordingly.
• Flexibility: Be ready to adapt your plan if other players vie for the same resources.
• Efficiency: Optimize your actions per round to make the most out of your resources.
• Balance: Evenly distribute your focus between shipbuilding, trading, and contract fulfillment to consistently score points.

Special Features

• The captain mechanism can be used strategically to block other players or maximize personal advantages.
• The pricing mechanism for goods is dynamic and changes based on supply and demand within the game.

Enjoy playing Nauticus!